Aston Villa manager Remi Garde has admitted that he will “need to improve” his side once the winter transfer window opens next month to give them a chance of avoiding the drop.

Garde has already started identifying potential transfer targets for January just five weeks after replacing Tim Sherwood at the helm, although he would not disclose which areas of his squad he is most keen to strengthen.

The ex-Lyon boss did reveal that he is planning imminent talks with chairman Randy Lerner, however, having been working with the other members of the club’s transfer committee in the meantime to earmark possible signings who could help them retain their Premier League status.

"I feel we will need to improve the team a little bit to get more chances."

Garde is currently working on Villa’s transfer plans with director of recruitment Paddy Riley and sporting director Hendrik Almstadt, but he was reluctant to reveal just how active the club will be when the market kicks into gear next month.

"I prefer to stay focused on the game we have to play than to express too many ideas that we should be keeping within the club for the moment,” he added.

Villa’s league position certainly suggests that they must strengthen in January, as they sit bottom of the table with just six points from 15 games going into the weekend’s home clash with Arsenal, needing seven points to escape the drop zone.

The game sees Garde face off against his mentor and former manager Arsene Wenger, who brought him to England in 1996, and ex-Gunners midfielder acknowledges that his side face an uphill battle to get a positive result on the afternoon.

"They're very comfortable away from home and have scored more away from home which shows how dangerous they are," Garde said at his press conference. "It's a long time ago since I was there.

Freddie Shires

Freddie is a freelance sports writer, having recently completed an MA in Sports Journalism at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham. With an especially keen interest in all things American sports-related, he has written extensively about the NFL, MLS and the U.S. national team for various sites.